The Queensland Reds have announced their 2026 squad for the Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific season with spots for exciting Australian Under-18s duo Treyvon Pritchard and Nicholas Conway plus club rugby standout Hamish Muller.
In all, the 38-strong squad includes 16 players with Test experience for Australia, uncapped touring Wallabies halfback Kalani Thomas, former All Blacks prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen and 38-Test Fijian international Ben Volavola.
The squad is bolstered by a 10-man Reds Development Squad. The Development Squad highlights the integration preparing the state's best young talents for the step to Super Rugby Pacific. Eight of the 10 having already debuted for the Reds and they will train regularly with the main squad to continue the "Close The Gap" philosophy of Reds Head Coach Les Kiss.
The level of experience in the Reds squad for 2026 extends to 12 players having represented the Reds over 50 times, including 2025 co-captain Tate McDermott who will begin the new season as a member of Queensland's 100-cap Club.
Toomaga-Allen and new prop signing Aidan Ross also bring to their key positions the hard-earned expertise of more than 100 games from their previous New Zealand clubs.
Ross, recently capped for the Wallabies in Japan, 2023 World Cup flyhalf Carter Gordon, prop Nick Bloomfield, backline utility Volavola, lock Muller, outside back Conway and schoolboy utility Pritchard are the fresh signings for the 2026 squad.
"Super Rugby Pacific demands we be ready for every challenge. The options this squad gives us are a result of improving our depth and versatility which are traits we keep pursuing," Kiss said.
"We used 37 players in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season so we know how valuable these qualities are.
"The close alignment with our 10 Reds Development Squad players expands our pool of talent. Most have already made their Reds debut and regular contact with our experienced players will be of great benefit.
"Preparation through the Reds Academy has helped make this possible. We had prop Nick Bloomfield step up mid-season from the Academy this year and he's made a positive start to his Super Rugby career.
"Australia U18 players Nichloas Conway and Treyvon Pritchard have X-factor and it's exciting to think how they can advance alongside our experienced backs."
Pritchard, 18, will make the rare step up to the Reds squad while still at Anglican Church Grammar School where Shakespeare's Othello and maths exams in Year 12 are this month's priorities.
The Reds International Program has already enabled Pritchard to get a taste of professional rugby with his recent try-scoring debut from fullback for Queensland against Japan's Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights at Ballymore.
"The Reds' coaches showed a lot of faith in me with the opportunity against the Wild Knights. It helped my adjustment being around the intensity and tempo of games and training for those few weeks," Pritchard said.
"My time with the Reds Academy has definitely helped with feeling confident and comfortable around familiar faces and systems."
Muller, 22, is a 2024 premiership-winning lock with Brothers, the club where he has excelled and earned his chances at the higher level. The Reds International Program has enabled his work ethic and strong forward efforts to be recognised in games against the Wild Knights and Tonga over the past 12 months.
Prop Bloomfield, 21, made his Reds debut in Super Rugby Pacific in May, played five Reds games in all in 2025 and continues to develop as a loosehead as he was marked to do as an Australia Under-20s representative.
Conway, 18, had some striking involvements, beside Pritchard, in the two recent wins by the Australia U18s over the New Zealand Schoolboys in Canberra. He played at fullback in those matches but is equally at home on the wing where he was also in try-scoring form for the Australia U20s in South Africa earlier this year.
Volavola, 34, has played more than 200 top-level games in professional rugby, most recently in England and France. His versatility to play at flyhalf, fullback or inside centre brings a valuable utility player into the squad.
After a season in rugby league, Gordon, 24, has returned to rugby at the club he first joined as a 17-year-old schoolboy in 2018. His signing through 2028 brings to the squad an eight-Test back equipped to play flyhalf, inside centre or fullback.
"It's exciting to be back. I've trained here, played here. Ballymore does feel like home, really," said Gordon, who played four seasons for the Melbourne Rebels (2021-24).
"To don the Reds jersey was always a dream of mine as a kid."
Fed by the successful Buildcorp Reds Academy, the 2026 Reds Development squad is: Will Ross (lock), Kingsley Uys (prop), Vaiuta Latu (Back Row), Tom Robinson (back row), Finn Mackay (flyhalf), James Martens (halfback), Charlie Brosnan (lock), Harrison Usher (prop), Zac Hough (utility) and Xavier Rubens (utility).
The Reds open their 2026 campaign in Super Rugby Pacific against the NSW Waratahs in Sydney Moana on Friday, February 13.
Josh Nasser^ - University of Queensland
Matt Faessler^ - Brothers
Richie Asiata - Sunnybank
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen - Norths
Zane Nonggorr^ - Bond University
Massimo De Lutiis - Wests
Aidan Ross** - Bond University
George Blake^ - Bond University
Nick Bloomfield^ - Easts
Trevor King**^ - Souths
Trevor King**^ - Souths
Josh Canham - Bond University
Seru Uru - Souths
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto - Souths
Hamish Muller** - Brothers
Fraser McReight^ - Brothers
Harry Wilson^ - Brothers
Joe Brial - University of Queensland
John Bryant^ - Souths
Tate McDermott^ - University of Queensland
Louis Werchon^ - Wests
Kalani Thomas^ - Souths
Tom Lynagh - University of Queensland
Carter Gordon*^ - Wests
Harry McLaughlin-Phillips^ - Wests
Josh Flook^ - Brothers
Hunter Paisami - Wests
Isaac Henry - Wests
Dre Pakeho^ - Brothers
Frankie Goldsbrough - Easts
Will McCulloch**^ - Norths
Nicholas Conway*^ - Wests
Jock Campbell - University of Queensland
Tim Ryan^ - Brothers
Heremaia Murray - Bond University
Lachie Anderson - University of Queensland
Treyvon Pritchard**^ - Anglican Church Grammar School
Filipo Daugunu - Sunnybank
Ben Volavola* - Sunnybank
